esteem

1 of 2

noun

es·​teem i-ˈstēm 

1

: the regard in which one is held

especially : high regard

the esteem we all feel for her

2

archaic : worth, value

3

archaic : opinion, judgment

esteem

2 of 2

verb

esteemed; esteeming; esteems

transitive verb

1

: to set a high value on : regard highly and prize accordingly

an esteemed guest

2

a

: to view as : consider

esteem it a privilege

b

: think, believe

3

archaic : appraise

Synonyms

Noun

• account
• admiration
• appreciation
• estimation
• favor
• regard
• respect

Verb

• account
• call
• consider
• count
• hold
• look (on or upon)
• rate
• reckon
• regard
• set down
• view

Choose the Right Synonym for esteem

regard, respect, esteem, admire mean to recognize the worth of a person or thing.

regard is a general term that is usually qualified.

he is highly regarded in the profession

respect implies a considered evaluation or estimation.

after many years they came to respect her views

esteem implies greater warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation.

no citizen of the town was more highly esteemed

admire suggests usually enthusiastic appreciation and often deep affection.

a friend that I truly admire

Examples of esteem in a Sentence

Noun

She has won esteem for her work with cancer patients.

an athlete who is held in great esteem by her peers

Verb

I had esteemed the whole affair to be a colossal waste of time.

although the works of the Impressionist painters are esteemed today, they met with scorn when they were introduced

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Resilient workers have more self esteem, a stronger sense of purpose and greater job satisfaction. —Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024

The instantly recognizable bags go with just about everything, and women of all ages wear them as accessories of high esteem: Even Kate Middleton has been known to carry a Longchamp Le Pliage. —Genevieve Cepeda, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024

Verb

In the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, esteemed restaurateur Hakki Akdeniz of Champion Pizza and Elia on the River has opened Wabi Nori, a high-end sushi and hand roll bar. —William Mullane, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024

The Popol Vuh and other Maya traditions written at the time instead indicate human sacrifice may have been esteemed or even an honor, Barquera says, part of keeping the cosmos in balance. —Byandrew Curry, science.org, 12 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English estemen to estimate, from Anglo-French estimer, from Latin aestimare

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing esteem

• self-esteem

Kids Definition

esteem

1 of 2 noun

es·​teem is-ˈtēm 

: the degree of respect or liking one has for something or someone

especially : a very favorable opinion

esteem

2 of 2 verb

1

: to think of in a particular way : consider

esteem it a privilege

2

: to think very highly or favorably of